The Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is a saltwater lake that lies between the countries of Israel and Jordan.

Dead Sea, an inland body of water southeast of Jerusalem on the border of Jordan and Israel. It has the lowest elevation on earth—1,373 feet (419 m) below sea level at the water's surface. The sea is divided into two basins, separated by a land bridge. Both basins are about 10 miles (16 km) wide. The northern one is about 40 miles (64 km) long; the southern one, about 10 miles (16 km) long. The combined area of both basins is about 390 square miles (1,010 km 2). The maximum depth, which exceeds 1,330 feet (405 m), is in the northern basin.

 

The Dead Sea lies in a deep rift valley, which is part of a great rift system running through the Holy Land, the Red Sea, and eastern Africa. Cliffs and steeply rising land flank the sea on the east and the west. The adjacent area is hot, dry, and desolate. The Jordan River, entering from the north, is the only river with a year-round flow that enters the sea. No river flows from it. Diversion of water from the Jordan River for irrigation has caused the sea to shrink.

Because it loses water only by evaporation, the Dead Sea has a high salt content. It runs more than 25 per cent, or seven times that of ocean water. Dead Sea water has a clear, blue-green color and a bitter, nauseous taste and is slightly oily to the touch. Its buoyancy makes it impossible for a swimmer to sink. There is virtually no life in the sea, except for bacteria and algae. Potash and bromine are the chief minerals extracted from the water for commercial use.

 

In Biblical times the sea was known by several names, including the Salt Sea, the East Sea, and the Sea of the Plain. Genesis tells of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, which are now believed to be submerged in the southern part of the sea. Masada, on the western shore, was the site in 73 a.d. of a heroic but hopeless stand against the Romans by a group of Jews known as the Zealots.

Pets Sleep Together: Are They Pals?

Clients frequently tell me that they think their cat or dogs like each other but they aren't sure. They sometimes point out that their pets sleep together, but does that mean they're best friends? It could but it doesn't necessarily. They could just be sharing beds because it's comfortable or convenient. True "friends," actively seek each other and hang out, play together, and perform affiliative gestures such as mutual grooming.

Here's a photo of Jonesy and his bratty younger, but bigger sister, Lucy. Jonesy pretty much just tolerates her. Sometimes he puts up with her pestering, and other times he exercises his Sailor's mouth. When she's in the more comfortable bed he sometimes joins her because that's the most comfortable spot.

Here's Jonesy with Homer (tricolor JRT) and a visiting JRT. Homer would actively seek Jonesy out and lie next to him. That would sometimes make Jonesy grumble under his breath. Homer did indeed look up to Jonesy. But, as usual, Jonesy could care less about Homer.

Tell me about your pets who sometimes share a bed. Are they best friends or just convenient buddies?

Sophia Yin

Gunfight at biggest Sri Lanka prison kills 13

(Reuters) - Thirteen people were killed and a senior police officer was seriously wounded in a gunfight in Sri Lanka's biggest prison that began when police came under fire from inmates, officials and police said on Saturday.

The army was called in to help control the violence that continued overnight, and some staff at the Welikada prison in the capital Colombo were being held hostage by inmates, jail officials said.

Witnesses said they saw police shooting towards the jail, where armed prisoners were on the roof.

Prisons Commissioner P. W. Kodippili told Reuters that the prisoners had obtained the weapons - some of them machineguns - by breaking into the prison armoury.

"They have handed over four weapons but we do not know how many are in their position" of being armed, he said,

The commanding officer of the elite police force that had come under attack was in intensive care, as were two other people, the head of Colombo National hospital said.

"We've got 45 injured and 13 (of them) brought in dead," Dr. Anil Jasinghe told Reuters.

The violence erupted when officers from the Special Task Force (STF), Sri Lanka's elite police commandoes, were searching the jail for drugs and illegal mobile phones.

"When they were coming out, prisoners started to attack them with stones. The STF used teargas and the prisoners fired at the STF," Police Spokesman Prishantha Jayakody said.

The jail houses some members of the former defeated Tamil rebels from the minority Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) movement that fought a protracted war of independence, ending in 2009, but officials said it was unclear how many, if any, of them had been involved in the uprising.

"We don't know who is involved in this, I don't think any LTTE suspects are involved but I don't know," Commissioner Kodippili told Reuters.

(Reporting by Ranga Sirilal; Editing by Michael Roddy)

UN concerned about Israeli war threats against Iran: UN spokesman

The United Nations Spokesman Martin Nesirky says the world body's chief Ban Ki-moon is concerned about threatening statements made by Israeli officials about the Iranian nuclear energy program.

Speaking in a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York on Thursday, Nesirky said Ban is worried about Israeli threats of a military action against Iran.

“The UN secretary general has always stressed that the Middle East tensions must only be resolved through dialogue," he pointed out.

On Wednesday, Iran's Ambassador to the UN Mohammad Khazaei strongly condemned the “provocative, impudent and threatening” remarks by the Israeli premier against Iran’s nuclear energy program and warned that such statements are a blatant breach of the UN Charter and international regulations and rights and would threaten regional peace and security.

Israel has repeatedly threatened Iran with a military strike, falsely claiming that Tehran is pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.

In his latest warmongering remarks against Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on November 5 that he is ready to order a strike on the Iranian nuclear facilities.

Iran rejects the allegations against its nuclear energy activities, arguing that as a committed signatory to Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran's nuclear energy program has been diverted to military objectives.

MP/HGH/SS